AQRUCanPassv5 FINAL VERSION Protected

will help you to deal with: Exams....................... Achieve your full potential Study and Revision .... Work more effectively Coursework and STUDENT WORKBOOK Assignments ............. Produce excellent work Everyday pressures.... Deal with these pressures more easily Featuring the use of the Mental Toughness model and MTQ48

UCanPass Student Workbook Page Conten …to help you through your ts: 10 steps Introduction Get onto the programme 2 What is Mental Toughness Understand the importance of Mental Toughness, Grit, Character, and Resilience 4 Dealing with the world in which we work and live Understanding stress, pressure and challenge 6 How resilient are you? Understand yourself and what makes you tick 9 Optimising your performance Positive thinking, goal setting and focus 17 Optimising wellbeing Relaxation, breathing and visualisation exercises 21 Procrastination, fitness and diet Learn about things you should be doing… and things you shouldn’t be doing 34 Why bother? Why it’s important to develop your Mental Toughness 38 Exams, study and coursework Tips and ideas to help you be successful 42 Individual reflection Turning it into an action plan 46 Further Reading 47 Appendices 48 © AQR 2013 UCanPass Workbook Original workbook developed by Doug Str ycharczyk and Dr Peter Clough. 2013 update by Bethan Greenall. All rights reserved. No part of this workbook may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. 1

Introduction STEP 1 Get onto the Get onto the Programme! programme Welcome to the Mental Toughness Programme..... designed to help you to do well in your studies and your exams. Q. What will doing well in your studies and in your exams do for you? ... opportunity A. You’ll have more ... choice ... positive chances in life You may already work hard ..... do you get the results you feel you deserve? You might be ver y clever ......... are you achieving what you should be achieving? You might be struggling.......... do you know how to deal with it? Get on the Programme.... UCanPass will help you in 4 important areas: Exams How to get ready for them and how to do better than you expected. Coursework and assignments How to complete better work, more easily and on time. Revision & Study How to become even more positive and engaged in your learning. It will stop being something that’s done to you. You will be the master of your own learning. Outside Dealing with other factors, such as friends, family, peer pressure or other things which may affect your life. To help you do this you’ll also be using MTQ48, the Mental Toughness measure. Mental Toughness is about how you make the most of your abilities and how resilient you are. It is not to be confused with physical toughness. MTQ48 is used all over the world. You’ll learn why Mental Toughness is important not just to help you with your exams, but with everything that you do. 2

Set Your Personal Objectives STEP 1 Task To make the most of UCanPass and to focus yourself on your personal goals, take a few minutes to think about what you would 1 like to gain from the UCanPass experience and why it will benefit you. When you are ready, write down some personal objectives. You’ll revisit this section later. To help you get started, you might like to think about: • What you need to do to prepare for your exams? • What they might be for other people–what do others do that you would like to do? • If you want to master one thing, what would that be? Set Your Goals (e.g. ensure I plan my revision times) Record your thoughts here: 1. 2. 3. 4. 3

Mental Toughness STEP 2 Understand Understand the importance of Mental Toughness the importance of Mental Mental Toughness is that part of us which explains how we respond to stress, pressure and challenge… Toughness irrespective of the circumstances you are in. What we do know is that two people of equal ability and in the same situation will often respond differently when faced with the same challenge. How do you respond when asked to do an assignment? The difference in how you and others respond can be explained by Mental Toughness. The trick is to develop your Mental Toughness to the point where you make the most of your abilities. Mental Toughness is about being the best you can be. That means dealing with life’s challenges and staying ‘comfortable in your own skin.’ You can be the best you can be once you understand why something might hold you back. And, with a few simple tools and tips, you can do something about it. But it’s important that you want to do better. Why is it important for you? There is a clear, consistent and positive relationship between a person’s Mental Toughness and their:  Performance- in exams and with doing course work on time and to a good quality.  Positive Behaviour - developing a “can do” approach. If you think you can, you can.  Wellbeing - feeling satisfied and motivated even when the going has been tough.  Aspirations - being more ambitious. All of these matter for you and everything that you do. 4

Developing your Mental Toughness Grit, Resilience, Character and Tenacity Can you Develop Mental Toughness? The short answer is that “yes you can”. Most people can develop Mental Toughness and benefit from doing this. Sports coaches have long understood that ordinary competent people can be transformed into winners through developing their Mental Toughness. In very competitive sports, the difference between winning and losing is often in the mindset of the sportsperson or athlete. Good athletes can outperform better athletes. Good teams can upset better teams. to the best of their abilities. Many Olympic In soccer, top managers like Arsene Wenger athletes achieve their “personal bests”. and Sir Alec Ferguson are always talking about the Mental Toughness of their Grit, Resilience, Character and Tenacity You may be surprised to learn that the kind teams. And everyone knows that their of things that might be worrying you are very teams often win because the team keeps going right to the very end of a game normal and common. Everyone has the same when other teams often stop. This is an fears and worries. example of Mental Toughness in action. In fact you are probably no different to most It’s true in tennis, rugby, hockey, rowing. of the people around you - even the ones In fact all sport. It’s also true in other areas who appear to be more successful. They face like music, drama, performing arts, etc. and know the same challenges and fears. It’s just that they have learned to master them… The remainder of this workbook describes how you can achieve this.... …and it will be useful to you Olympic champions are good examples of forever! someone putting in that extra effort to perform 5

Understanding the World in which we work, study and live STEP 3 Deal Deal with Pressure, Challenge, Stress and their Consequences with pressur Stressors, Pressure and Challenge - It happens every day to everyone! e, The world in which we live, work and study is full of pressures and stressors. From the moment we wake to the time we go to sleep, challeng most of us find ourselves responding to stress, pressure and challenge. For students getting an essay in on time can be the e and stress source of pressure. For some of us that pressure is a driver. It stimulates us and we respond by wanting to do well. For others that same pressure will produce a different response. Our response here may be to feel intimidated, overwhelmed, frightened, etc. What is important here? The way we deal with stress, pressure and Once we understand it’s up to us we learn that: challenge relies on a mixture of qualities. We • Stress and challenge is a normal part of life - but they can be physically and mentally demanding. can’t avoid them. That is what a lot of school and • Individuals react differently to the same stressors. college life is about! It’s part of the • I need to understand my reaction preparation for life. What is important is that we understand that how we respond to these • I can learn to do what others do and be less affected by stress and pressure and thus can learn challenges is what matters. to make the most of my abilities. Ever yone in your year is facing the same It’s up to me. challenges. Some deal with it better than The first thing to do then is to identify what are the things that cause you to feel stressed. The others. It shows in their performance, following page shows some of the main sources of stress for students and some of the possible behaviour and wellbeing. consequences. Success in most things depends largely on how I respond - physically or mentally - to pressures and challenges which place special demands on me. 6

I can learn how to respond better. It’s up to me. 7

Model of the World Stressors and Pressures ME Not clear about own goals, Control - relationships with teachers/ Satisfaction, Self-esteem, Burnout, Tiredness, Low confidence, MENTAL tutors, Performance – marks and grades, Time management etc.. Excessive worrying, Poor sleep, Depression GROUP Tutor’s behaviour, Poor relations with other students, Intra-group Attendance, Performance, late with essays, Accidents, substance BEHAVIOUR conflict, Peer pressure, Competition etc. abuse, conflict, Peer pressure, Competition etc. SCHOOL/COLLEGE The way the school/college is run, Technology changes, Poor decisions, Poor concentration, Poor time management, ACTIONS School/College targets & processes etc. forgetfulness, mental health, not seeking help. HOME/FAMILY Family, Money, Travel to School/College, Friends, Things happening in Immune System weakens, getting ill more often, Headaches, PHYSICAL society, Study/Leisure balance other things which may affect your life. Blood pressure increase, serious illness. Challenges & Making a special effort Peak Performance 8

Dealing with the world of work and study STEP 3 Task Your Experience 1 What are the main sources of stress, pressure and challenge for you and others in your position? Use the table below to help you think about how you can control them. 1. Rate each of them in terms of how much this affects your performance and behaviour (use a scale of 1 - 5 with 5 being highest). 2. Tick the three you would most like to do something about. Key sources of pressure for you Your rating Tick your three 1 low - 5 high most important 9

Understanding Yourself STEP 4 Understa nd How resilient are you? yourse Step 4 looks in more detail at Mental Toughness as an important idea that helps you to understand your resilience and to be clearer about: • Why others respond differently to stressors and challenges. • Why you may feel stressed and less motivated by the same things that 1 CONTROL seem to switch others on. • Which aspects of school or college life affect you in different ways? 2 COMMITMENT • How you can develop Mental Toughness to improve your resilience and performance. The remaining pages in this section are intended to help you to become familiar with the Mental 3 CHALLENGE Toughness scales. There scales are designed to help you to understand four components of your Mental Toughness - ‘the 4 Cs’. 4 CONFIDENCE The Mental Toughness Scales Each component of Mental Toughness is reported on a 1-10 scale. We talk about Mental Toughness in 3 bands: scores 1-3, 4-7 and 8-10. What each of these mean is described below. Scores 4-7 indicate someone with a normal or average Mental Toughness score There are 4 components known as the 4 C’s – CONTROL, COMMITMENT, CHALLENGE, CONFIDENCE Scores 1-3 indicate Scores 8-10 indicate someone with a someone with a We’ll look at each in turn to understand them mentally sensitive score mentally tough score better.. 10

1 CONTROL CONTROL This scale identifies the extent to which you feel in control of your life and your emotions. Some people feel in control and that they have influence over what happens to them - others feel that things happen to them and that they have little control or say in the matter. People who score high tend to be good at handling lots of things at the same time - coursework, assignments, projects etc. They are also less likely to show they are upset when things go LIFE EMOTIONAL wrong. We know that this scale has two elements - Control of your Emotions and Control of CONTROL CONTROL your Life. Control of your emotions… Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) Scoring highly on this scale suggests that you are Show a reaction when criticised Don’t react when others make comments better able to control your emotions. High Show anger or annoyance when things don’t which could upset or annoy go their way Good at lifting the spirits of those around them scorers are able to keep anxieties in check and Show discomfort when others “have a go at them” Can be insensitive to others remarks are less likely to show their emotional state to Deal poorly with provocation Will build on positive results other people. Other people are then less able Respond poorly to poor marks or the prospect High self esteem to exploit their emotional reaction. of poor performance Mistakes are “shrugged off ” Perceive themselves to be victims Dwell on failure Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) Life Control… Can feel stretched with modest workloads - Happy to take on multiple commitments and poor at time management know how to handle them Those scoring higher on this scale are more likely Will tend to blame outside factors for See other people as problems… which can be to believe they control what happens to them. preventing success handled! They think they can achieve if they want to. They Will panic when given assignments Happy to Will complete homework on time feel that they can make a difference. This can accept that it’s OK to give up Will make choices be seen as a measure of self-worth. Poorly organised - No breakfast, Won’t bring Feel that they can make a difference pencil cases, PE kit Will have a go Don’t expect to succeed Don’t want responsibility 11

2 COMMITMENT Sometimes described as “stick-ability” or tenacity. The commitment scale identifies the extent to which you like working towards goals and targets. Its like making promises. That includes promises you make to yourself as well as to others like your family, your teachers and tutors, and your friends. That promise you make to yourself to do well in exams is one of the most important promises you make. Those who score at the high end of the scale will be able to handle and achieve things even if they look hard. Someone at the other end will not like working to these targets and may even be frightened of them. Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) Intimidated by goals and targets Will prioritise activities Will avoid targets Will work hard (and long hours if needed) Will allow themselves to be distracted Diligent about projects and homework - deliver Will find reasons to miss the target on time Will tr y to divert attention from the task Like exams, essays and tests because they are a repeated opportunity to measure and Easily bored - won’t commit time and effort prove themselves 12

3 CHALLENGE The Challenge scale describes the extent to which you see problems, challenge and change as If you think you can, opportunities. Exams are one of the most important challenges a person faces in their lives. It is a big challenge for anyone. Those who see them as opportunities will actively want to you probably can. face them. They see challenges like this as a way of proving something to the world. If you think you can’t, then you are probably right. Henry Ford Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) What do you think your main Don’t like Examinations Happy to commit to exams and subjects challenges are? Feel pressured to achieve a pass mark or a Volunteer for projects (and commit others)? certain grade Enjoy competition and show it Uncomfortable with major assignments, Take the lead in the classroom essays, projects Attend and take part even if they are not good Don’t like too much change - New subjects, at a subject New teachers, New schools New friends Participate and ask questions in lessons Respond poorly to competitive people Good attenders Display negative behaviour when asked to do something they don’t like or that is new See exams and tests as opportunities to prove themselves Tend to fail because they always expect to fail Feel they don’t get enough support Peer pressure - Don’t want to be seen to achieve 13

4 CONFIDENCE People who are high in confidence have the self-belief to complete tasks, which others with similar abilities but with lower confidence may see as too difficult. Less confident individuals are also likely to be less persistent and to make more errors. This can be seen as a measure of self-esteem. Those who are very confident will be able to take setbacks (like a poor mark for an essay) in their stride. They keep their heads when things go wrong and it may even strengthen their resolve to do better next time. We can’t avoid making mistakes - it’s not learning from them that is the problem. Confidence has two ‘sub-scales’ - confidence in abilities and interpersonal confidence. Confidence in abilities… Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) Produce minimal responses in exams and to essays etc. Happy to ask questions People scoring highly on this scale are more likely to believe that they are truly worthwhile. Will be reluctant to express a view in discussion or Happy to provide full responses to debate questions They are less dependent on others telling them Will be reluctant to ask questions “in case it makes me Good literacy and numeracy skills they are good (they “know” it anyway) and look stupid” Happy to have a go at most things tend to be more optimistic about life in general. Reluctant to do presentations or oral work Like doing presentations and speaking Inability to transfer learning to new situations in class Won’t put down answers even when they know the answer Interpersonal Confidence… Low Scores (1-3) High Scores (8-10) People scoring high on this scale tend to be Will back down quickly when challenged Prepared to put their side of the argument more assertive. They are less likely to be Will allow others to dominate debates - even forward when they are more knowledgeable Will dominate debates even when they don’t intimidated or influenced by others and are Will have difficulty dealing with assertive have a proper grasp of the subject matter more likely to promote themselves in groups. teachers Not influenced by peers They will stand their ground and will tend to do Will be influenced by peers (friends) Confident manner what they want to do... not what others want Easily persuaded to skip study, homework etc Not bothered about what others think about them to do. They are also better able to handle by others who are not motivated to do well them will do things that might appear “naff ” difficult or awkward people. like study on a Saturday 14

So… how Mentally Tough do you think you are? Think about your MTQ48 feedback. Use the space below to write any comments or thoughts you have about your own results. You may want to consider the following questions: What have you learnt about yourself? (E.g. I often think I can’t do something when I can) What have you learnt about how you deal with stressors, pressures and with challenges? What examples can you give of things you would rather not do? (E.g. I often panic when given something difficult to do) There are lots of things you can do to develop resilience, confidence & Mental Toughness. We will cover these in the following steps. 15

Why is Mental Toughness so relevant? STEP 4 Task Why does it influence your wellbeing and your motivation? 2 We know a lot about what motivates us. We know that we all have some needs which must be met if we are to be fully satisfied. Psychologists talk about a hierarchy of needs. There are basic needs such as food, warmth and shelter called physiological needs. Then there are higher order needs. As these needs are met there is a greater likelihood of wellbeing. For most people the following seem to be the most Think about what makes you feel really good? Make a note of these below. important factors for our wellbeing and our motivation… (E.g. getting a piece of work in on time)  Achieving something important  Having the opportunity for control  Recognition - being recognised for doing something well  Having the opportunity to use my skills and knowledge  Having goals and taking responsibility for my goals  Reward  A sense of belonging  Physical security  Social position  Working with others 16

Summary STEP 4 Task 3 In this section you have learnt a lot about yourself - your Mental Toughness, how you deal and cope with the challenges in your life, and what motivates and inspires you. The next stage of this programme introduces you to tools and techniques which help you deal with pressure and with challenge more effectively and to work toward peak performance. Note what you have learnt and consider how dealing with stressors would make a difference for you. 1. What have you learnt about your 2. What difference could you make? 3. What would be the benefits for you? response to stress and pressure? 17

Optimising Performance STEP 5 Optimisi Focus, Positive Thinking & Goal Setting ng Performan As we have seen, ”Stress” is not necessarily the enemy – it is how we interact with challenges, ce demands and stressors that determines whether we get “stressed” or we “perform” to the best of our abilities. Beating the “Enemy” has two elements: 1. Seeing the opportunity and not the threat-working towards peak performance An exam is an opportunity to show the examiner what you can do. An essay is exactly the same. But if you think differently you will immediately create the mind-set that accepts poor performance. Millions of people sit and pass exams and get good grades– so can you! There are 5 ways you can make that difference…. Positive Thinking Stop thinking you can’t and replace it with “I can!” Visualisation See the challenge and the situation in a positive light Attentional Control Focus on doing what we need to do and avoid distraction Anxiety Control Learning how not to panic and to deal with anxiety Goal Setting Learning how not to be overawed by goals and targets…. turn them into something which is achievable Increasing your resistance to things that stress and worry you This can be achieved through the successful application of relaxation techniques. There are times and situations when the pressure does build up. In this situation we learn to minimise any negative response or we can learn to recover quickly and effectively from that negative response. The next two chapters introduce you to a number of tools and techniques that can help to ‘beat the enemy’. All of these techniques work, but not all will necessarily work for everyone. Some will work for you. 18

Relating Mental Toughness to the areas in which I want to improve This shows how the 4 Mental Toughness scales relate to the 4 areas where we want to improve. They are examples. You will be able to think of others. EXAMS COURSEWORK REVISION & STUDY OTHER FACTORS - MY LIFE CONFIDENCE Responding to Dealing well with a Telling my friends I have I know I have the ability, I am questions positively poor mark - I can set aside study time going to take this opportunity do better next time and can’t go out CHALLENGE Looking forward to Seeing each bit as Seeing study as part Setting big goals - I want a proving myself chance to show of my eventual success good job, go to Uni. Etc what I can do COMMITMENT Determined to get Getting my work in Setting targets and Making time for friends, a good grade on time sticking to them exercise and play CONTROL Believing I can do it! Managing my time Not worried when Not worrying what others so I can do all my others call me a will think - I am in charge work properly geek! of me! 19

What do I want to improve when I….? STEP 5 Task Write your own examples in the boxes below. 1 DO EXAMS DO COURSEWORK CONFIDENCE CHALLENGE COMMITMENT CONTROL 20

CARRY OUT REVISION & COURSEWORK LIVE MY LIFE CONFIDENCE CHALLENGE COMMITMENT CONTROL 20

Techniques, tools and tips to develop STEP 6 Exercis Confidence, Resilience and Attitude es There are lots of tools, tips and techniques which you can learn to adopt. They all work for somebody. You need to practise and experiment until you find the ones which work for you. Some come from the sports world where coaches use them ever y day, some come from psychology and find their way into approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP). Some are even found in religious practice such as Buddhism and Hinduism. They fall into 5 broad groups: POSITIVE THINKING Making Affirmations, Turning Negatives into Positives, Thought Over the next pages you will be introduced Stopping, Self-Talk, Autogenic Training, Write down 3 Positives to these tools and techniques. ever y day Many of these tools and techniques work in more than one aspect of Mental VISUALISATION Visualisation, Guided Imaging Toughness. Thought stopping helps both ANXIETY CONTROL Controlled Breathing, Harmonic Breathing, Relaxation, positive thinking and anxiety control. Progressive Muscular Relation, Music Relaxation, Deep Muscle You will also find simple tips which, if Relaxation, Controlled Distraction, Mantras adopted consistently, will also re-enforce your development of positive, confident ATTENTIONAL Dealing with Interruptions, Number Grid, The Stork Stand, behaviours. CONTROL Bop-it, Stroop Tests, Nintendo DS, Emptying your Mind GOAL SETTING Setting SMARTER Goals, 1-2-4 rule; Setting Balanced goals, Urgent v Important 21

Exercises to develop your approach STEP 6 Anxiet y to exams, to study, to life… Contr ol To start you on your journey towards enhanced performance and stress resistance tr y the following exercises to clear your mind of negative thoughts and increase your levels of concentration. 1 ANXIETY CONTROL Anxiety is the feeling brought on by worry, fears & negative self-talk. Anxiety can impact on interpersonal confidence, life control, emotional control and how you see challenge. It is thought that the anxiety response originally developed in human beings as a form of “alarm system”, enabling them to respond to danger Anxiety should provide the “spark” to help you get out of danger. In normal situations, anxiety can give you the energy to get things done. However, in some circumstances, anxiety can overwhelm for no apparent reason. In this case performance and behaviour suffers as will wellbeing. In extreme cases it can severely inhibit performance and wellbeing. Typical symptoms include: • Panic- your mind empties just when you need to think • Fear of losing control, doing something embarrassing, going “crazy” • Pounding Heart, Racing Pulse or even Chest Pain • Shortness of breath • Feeling that you are shaking Technique - Self-Talk You can learn to control anxious thoughts and feelings by Self Talk, Talking yourself through the anxiety. Self-talk can play an important role in this. Examples include: • “These feelings will fade away - they won’t last forever” • “I know how to control these feelings. I must concentrate on relaxing myself” • “I will begin to feel better soon” 22

Coping with what you can’t control Introduction to relaxation techniques Relaxation techniques can be very useful in managing stress, tension and anxiety. They can be used Turn to the appendices for anywhere and become easier with practice & can help you: An Exercise on mindfulness -  Perform better at school and college another form of relaxation.  Become calmer in any situation  Help you to relax and sleep better Ultimately they help you to cope more effectively with stressors and challenges. Some of the most popular relaxation techniques include the following… Practical exercises can be found in the Appendix. Controlled Breathing… By learning to breathe properly you can begin to feel less fatigued, less overwhelmed by your thoughts and more able to cope with each new challenge. You will also become more optimistic as you learn to cope better. When done properly it can relieve anxiety, improve circulation, concentration and digestion and increase energy. Once you gain control of your breathing in a non-stressful environment, you can more readily call it up during times of stress. Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) Muscle tension is one of the most common symptoms of stress. The muscles respond to thoughts of perceived threats with tension or contraction, and can lead to the physical symptoms of stiffness, pain, discomfort, distorted and misaligned posture and joint stability. 23

Short relaxation exercises Sarnoff Squeeze Making a fist The purpose of the Sarnoff Squeeze is to block the body’s production of Progressive relaxation exercises can help offset excess energy that usually noradrenalin or epinephrine, the body’s fear-producing chemicals in your comes from anxiety or nervousness. When full PMR is not an option, tr y system. This is a simple preventative tool against feeling nervous ideally focusing on just one area of the body. suited before delivering presentations. You can do this by squeezing your hand into a tight fist, hold it (feeling the tension in the muscles of your arms), then relax. This is a ver y easy exercise How do I do it? and can offer a quick, concentrated way of releasing excess tension. • Sit on a straight-backed chair, keeping your back straight, but not rigid. Breathing exercise: • Lean forward slightly while keeping your back straight. • Put your hands together in front of you with your fingertips pointing up • Take a deep breath. Exhale fully and completely. and push. • Inhale again whilst mentally counting 1 to 4. • Say “ssss” as if you were a snake or a leak in your car tyre. • Hold your breath, and count from 1-4. • As you exhale while saying “ssss”, contract those muscles located right • Slowly count from 1-8 while exhaling fully. where your ribs begin to spread apart. • Repeat the sequence four times. • Be aware of the muscles tightening under your ribcage while you exhale. • Relax the muscles at the end of your exhalation, and then inhale gently. Ear Tap: To release tension in various parts of the body, tap the skin in front, above and behind the ear. This stimulates an area rich in acupressure points. Smile and Laugh: Strange as it may seem, smiling and laughing trigger chemicals in your body that make you feel better. • Take a moderate breath and smile as you exhale • Feel the corners of your mouth go up and feel the relaxation in your forehead. • Repeat ten times or until you can’t help but chuckle. 24

More relaxation exercises Controlled Breathing Exercises 1. Diaphragmatic Breathing 3. Three-part Breathing When you lie on your back, your diaphragm (the “dome” of muscle Drawing a “complete breath” engages the abdomen, diaphragm beneath your ribs controlling breathing) can expand and contract and chest muscles, distinctly and in that order; completing the cycle optimally. involves exhaling using the same elements in the reverse order. The exercise: It is helpful to visualise your “breathing centre” rising from your navel right Lie face-up with your palms upturned at your sides and your entire body up to your collarbone and then down again, like a cork on a wave. relaxed. Inhale and exhale deeply and deliberately Pay attention to the The exercise: sequential rise and fall of your stomach and chest and to the smooth Sit up with your back straight and your stomach relaxed. Then, all in one sound of your breathing. Feel your abs expel each breath, and then breath perform the three parts of this exercise: Inhale completely at the concentrate on the air rushing in to expand your lungs fully. abdomen. Continue to inhale by filling in the midsection, the area of the diaphragm, and then by filling the chest, allowing the upper chest and 2. Alternate-Nostril Breathing the shoulders to rise. Then systematically release and empty from your Yoga gurus believe that alternate-nostril breathing restores balance to upper chest, your mid-chest, and finally your stomach, contracting your brain function. abs to expel the last bit of air. The exercise: Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Then, close your left nostril with your right ring finger and little finger, and at the same time remove your thumb from the right nostril and exhale through it. Next, inhale through the right nostril, then close the right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Be deliberate: Each inhalation and exhalation should last four to eight seconds. (a complete cycle is 8 -16 seconds). 25

Controlled Distraction Distracting yourself from the fear by concentrating on something else It can sometimes be easier to concentrate on something else to take your Exercise: Controlled Distraction - Think of 3 activities which mind off your anxiety rather than seeking to talk yourself out of it. This is a would work for you - & why they would work. form of controlled distraction. By attending to something that doesn’t cause anxiety you can regain control and re-focus. Examples include: 1. • Mental tasks - e.g. doing a puzzle in your head, a sudoku, thinking of a poem or the lyrics to a song; Imagining a relaxing scene - a beach, looking at pictures, listening to music you really like, etc. 2. • Concentrating on your immediate surroundings, counting lamp-posts, adding up the items in your shopping basket etc. • Taking a dog for a walk. • Do something which is not creating anxiety. 3. • Breaking routines. Doing something differently so that you focus on maintaining the new routine. Thought Stopping A very powerful technique • Describe a situation where you frequently find yourself thinking Exercise: Thought Stopping - List 3 realistic, positive and constructive negatively. self-statements you can use to replace your negative thoughts. • Identify the negative statement you make in this situation. • Prepare yourself with some form of relaxation. 1. • Find a term or cue you can use to stop your negative thoughts. A physical cue can be pinching yourself (sports persons will use elastic bands on the wrist & “thwack” themselves when a negative thought arises). 2. • Mental cues will include • Positive statements which are activated when the negative though arises. • Mentally or vocally shouting “STOP!” 3. • Replace a poor image with a positive image • Associate the negative image with its consequence 26

STEP 6 2 ATTENTIONAL CONTROL Attentio nal Contr Obstacles and distractions are things you notice when you take your eye “off the ball”. Learning to ol sustain attention – to concentrate – is extremely important. Learning to still or park the mind enhances concentration. This is about being able to focus. Failure to do this can affect performance and wellbeing in potentially damaging ways. It impacts on commitment, confidence in your abilities and emotional control. Interruptions Research shows that each time you are interrupted and have to stop what you are doing you lose up to 30% of the mental work you have done to the point of interruption. Put another way, on average you can do in 2 hours what takes the average person 8 hours when they are frequently interrupted. Distractions SOME KEY TIPS… Being distracted and losing focus can affect performance, behaviour and wellbeing significantly. • Find a quiet place to study and do your homework. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in sport. The penalty taker in soccer has to contend • Ask your family and friends not to disturb with the goalkeeper’s antics, the barracking from the crowd, the heckling from the you when studying. opposing team as well as their own thoughts about the penalty and the consequences of • It’s a good idea to set times and routines missing it. Basically, taking a penalty is well within most soccer player’s skill set. The best see and so that everyone knows that you are not to hear nothing. They empty the mind and see only the ball - and the task. be disturbed. • Plan what you will do in this precious time When carrying out important and valuable work, do it in an environment free from so that you don’t interrupt yourself to find interruption and distraction - and free from the prospect of interruption. This means that you a pen or paper or a Wi-Fi connection. should always revise and do your homework etc. in a quiet place. Playing music whilst you work • If you find yourself getting tired - take a doesn’t help!! No matter what you think, you will be listening to the music rather than break. concentrating on your work. • If you are going to work or study with a One way you can use your favourite music is as a form of controlled distraction. Use it as a way of friend make sure they understand this too. taking a break and relieving pressure. But don’t listen to it all the time. Otherwise they will interrupt and distract you. • Agree when you will take a break. 27

Minimising unwanted interruptions Focusing 1 - The Number Grid Below is a number grid. Set a start time. Mark off in sequence as many Think of situations where interruptions can cause problems consecutive numbers as possible in 90 seconds starting with the number 00. for you and the ways in which you can minimise interruptions. 24 43 58 90 49 67 89 86 62 50 3 64 76 84 10 52 27 94 8 77 92 45 53 37 29 17 54 42 19 99 81 00 22 57 31 96 39 12 33 20 25 36 65 88 14 2 78 85 47 87 56 13 6 74 48 23 90 73 98 91 60 41 80 5 11 51 68 38 72 83 97 75 34 79 26 46 82 9 63 16 35 44 21 40 1 69 61 7 55 71 4 30 93 66 59 32 18 70 28 15 Have another go at it… 00 16 53 29 58 31 7 15 38 6 24 54 59 87 2 72 46 48 28 27 42 10 63 37 65 90 14 88 62 74 35 67 71 34 13 3 64 73 5 91 Developing Attentional Control 52 25 80 1 45 21 51 20 75 39 Partly dependent upon the ability to maintain focus and concentration 43 70 84 89 50 30 81 33 49 98 on the task, it is also largely about the ability to empty your mind to 17 36 60 12 57 94 19 95 83 4 avoid distraction and response to interruption. 11 61 92 44 78 22 55 85 99 56 This is about the ability to prevent disruption caused by different pieces of 66 9 23 93 8 69 77 32 96 97 information. 26 68 79 86 18 41 47 82 76 40 28

Focusing 2 - The Stork Stand Find a spot which is well clear of chairs and hazards. Begin by standing but put all your weight on one leg. Place your arms out to the sides at The ability to shoulder level, and gradually raise your free leg. Keep that leg off the concentrate and use ground. Close your eyes and tr y to maintain your balance. your time well is everything. There are several games and exercises which help to do this. Many games are dependent upon developing good attentional control. Lee Lacocca, CEO Chr ysler. These include: It’s not our fault our • Bop-It. An inexpensive toy which makes the player develop concentration to be able to follow a moderately complex set of generation has short instructions. attention spans, Dad. We watch an appalling amount • Nintendo DS - Brain Training. A very popular electronic game which includes attentional control exercises such as the Stroop Test. of TV. Lisa Simpson to her Dad, Homer. • Card Games such as Bridge or Whist. • Other brain training games and activities including Sudoku, crosswords, Lumosity, Brain fit. 29

STEP 6 3 POSITIVE THINKING Posit ive Thinki ng Affirmations We are what we think. You have an extraordinary power over yourself as Three things you have done well today… everything you know, feel and believe is based on the thoughts you have Ever y day as we go through the day, we do lots of little activities which inside your head. help us to get through the day. Most of the time, most of us get most That is why any negative or demeaning statements you make about of these right. yourself, to others or to yourself should be avoided. However at the end of the day if asked “how did things go?” many of us These self-limiting beliefs are reinforced every time they slip into your will think only of the things that didn’t go so well. If we do this ever y day conversation or mind. we get into our minds the feeling that we aren’t doing ver y well at all. To make affirmations effective, they should: We tend to talk ourselves down. • Be made in the present tense So a good thing to do is to sit down at the end of ever y day and write down three things that you did well during the day. Use a diary • Be positively phrased • Have an emotional reward or a dedicated folder on your PC or iPad. This way you will feel better about yourself - even when things are difficult. Exercise: Write 3 things that went well today 1. Try the following affirmations: • I am a calm, methodical and efficient student • I can make a difference • I can write a good essay 2. • I work well under pressure • I love it when I get good marks • I can set aside time for study 3. 30

Exercise - Turning negatives into positives 1. Think of things that you always think negatively about. (E.g. completing your homework, having to speak in front of the class). 2. Imagine you have a friend who is thinking negative thoughts. What would you say to them to help them be more positive? (E.g. what might you say to someone who is saying they can’t get their homework in on time). 3. How could you turn the negative thoughts in step 1 into positives? (E.g. completing homework means there is more chance of getting a better grade). 31

3 VISUALISATION You can use your inner voice and your imagination to increase self- belief in Exercise: Think of a challenge you have faced in your life or in your studies… your ability to deal with change, deadlines and relax. Your imagination communicates with your mind at the deepest levels an visual imagery is How did you envisage the challenge? What would have more powerful than words alone. been the difference if you have visualised differently? Instead of telling yourself that you will be successful, you “see” yourself being successful. For visualisation to work well… • It should be based on something that has happened to you. • You should focus on the positive feelings you are experiencing within your imagined scenario. • Negative thoughts should be rejected and replaced with positive thoughts or affirmations The world of sport… Again, the world of sport provides excellent examples of visualisation. The penalty taker in your soccer team will function better if they have in their mind a picture of the ball sailing into the net. If they can see a huge goalkeeper and a small goal they will approach their task with less confidence than if they can see a large goal and a small goalkeeper. This is also true for you with everything you do in school or college. Turn to the appendices for a visualisation exercise 32

STEP 6 3 GOAL SETTING Goa l Setti ng A challenge for goal setting is to take big goals and persuade yourself that, although they can look daunting, they are realistic and they are Mind Mapping achievable. Mind mapping is a way of linking key ideas using images, lines and links. Q. How do you eat an elephant? A central idea is linked via lines to other ideas which in turn are linked with other associated ideas. It is similar to spider diagrams; the A. One slice at a time. difference being that mind mapping involves constructing a hierarchy of ideas instead of pure random association. Mind mapping uses the idea of “radiant thinking” – that is, thoughts radiate out from a single idea, often expressed as an image. Branches For many, a target to get a good grade in an exam 12 months away flow backwards and forwards from and to the central idea. can appear overwhelming. The key lies in making the ultimate goal look attainable. The trick is to reduce a big goal or target to a series of smaller Try ‘Mind mapping by Tony Buzan to learn more about effective mind mapping. very realisable targets. One useful approach is to “eat the elephant a slice at a time”. 1-2-4 Rule The 1-2-4 rule works by setting a big goal which can be reduced to a series of smaller goals. The smaller goals help to achieve the big one and are typically far less threatening than the big goal. • Take a goal or target e.g. write a 1000 word assignment on .........… in 4 weeks. • Work out what you must do by the end of the next 2 weeks if this is to be achieved. That is, by half way through the allotted time. • Now work out what you must do by the end of 1 week if you are to stay on target. Again you are halving the time. You don’t have to stick to 1, 2 and 4 weeks. You can choose your • What you must achieve in the next week should now look a lot more own time intervals. What we are showing you here is that, if you achievable and less daunting. The actions will typically be “small break down the big goal into smaller goals, they become easier actions” which are more easily handled. to achieve and you can be less anxious about the big goals. Review progress every 2 weeks and roll the targets forward for the next If you make all the small goals, you’ll get there. 1 and 2 weeks. Ask someone to monitor you to ensure discipline. 33

Procrastination STEP 7 Procrastin ation, What is it? fitness “Avoidance of doing something which needs to be accomplished” such as coursework, essays, study, etc. and diet This leads to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression, self-doubt, and stress. Why do we procrastinate? How do we conquer procrastination? Poor time management - unable to prioritise or uncertain of priorities. Don’t wait until conditions are perfect - Just get on with it! Difficulty concentrating - too many distractions, bored. Use action to cure fear - the very first time is the hardest. After that it gets easier. Fear & anxiety - fear of failure, and/or success. Act more, think less - force yourself to sit down and write. Perfectionism - unrealistic expectations. Brainstorm. Doodle. Dislike task - You think it is not as important as it really is. Don’t worry about last week - the only time you can affect is now! Negative beliefs - lack of confidence in abilities; feel overwhelmed by Get down to business immediately - How often do you do silly little the task/s, difficulty dealing with setbacks. things etc. before doing any real work? Be proactive not reactive - Do the things you ‘should do’. What are the main time wasters in your life? What do you do that stop you from doing the things you should be doing? Make a note below. 34

The role of fitness The evidence shows that keeping fit is important in developing a positive mindset. Doing things which stretch you physically does have a positive impact on an individual’s Mental Toughness. Furthermore it seems that exercise and physical activity which gently stretches you appear to work best for most people. However it is also true that the more mentally tough you are the more likely you are to maintain exercise and to challenge yourself physically. To get yourself going you may need to use positive thinking, goal setting and visualisation. For some this could be highly structured such as joining a gym or some form of classes e.g. yoga, swimming, running, etc. or opting to do a sponsored 15km walk. For others it can be less formal. Good examples include setting targets to do a long bike ride with your friends or even redecorating your room. The focus here is to do something which requires some time and effort and which you will enjoy. When achieved there is a double bonus: 1 You have done something which develops your feeling of control (you can do it), commitment (you can set targets and achieve them), challenge (you can see challenges as opportunities) and confidence (you can persevere). 2 Your Mental Toughness enables you to maintain fitness more easily. This is significant factor is enabling you to deal with the stress and pressures of everyday life as well as developing your Mental Toughness. What physical challenges will you set for yourself? 35

The role of diet Consider your diet. Could you improve it? How would you achieve that? Eating a healthier, balanced diet enables you to maintain the right weight and to achieve better physiological performance. Athletes demonstrate that all the time. It is also true that the more mentally tough you are the more likely you are to be disciplined about what you eat. There is some evidence that some types of food can promote good mental health. These can be linked to improved memory, better attention and better reasoning abilities - leading to better performance. Who are my Study Buddies? Study Buddies! For most of you, your friends are one of the most important aspects of your life. At a time of pressure and challenge, your friends can be a big help. If your friends have the same goals as you and are prepared to work hard What do we agree to do together? to achieve these, they can be a great source of support. If you want to do well, you need to work with your friends who help. One useful approach is to develop “STUDY BUDDIES”. That is, one or two people with whom you form a pact to work together, to study together and generally to support each other, often by monitoring each other. For example, you might agree to set aside a couple of times a week when you agree to meet and to study (e.g. in a library or each other’s homes). Whatever you agree, make sure you stick to it. (This is what commitment means!) 36

Reflection Over the previous two sections we have looked at a number of techniques. Use the space below to evaluate what you’ve learnt. 1. What techniques worked best for you and why? E.g. goal setting, visualisation. 2. Did you encounter any difficulties? E.g. difficulty concentrating, difficulty identifying smaller goals. 3. How did you overcome them? E.g. put yourself in a quiet room, asked for advice from friends, parents etc. 37

Developing Mental Toughness STEP 8 The Over the following pages you will find a number of techniques to develop your Mental Toughness under the 4C’s. importance of developing 1 CONTROL your Mental Toughness Take a positive view of yourself List 5 successes and keep it with you. Don’t worry about what you can’t control Unexpected events are outside of your control but you can make a list of possible unexpected events (use force field analysis) and develop strategies for dealing with them. Recognise that setbacks are normal occurrences Examine setbacks and identify causes. Use this for learning. Remind yourself that what you do does matter Use visualisation to “see” yourself in control and making a difference. Learn to deal with your anxiousness or Practice controlled breathing in moments of panic. Also, concentrate on one thing at a nervousness time, don’t let yourself become overwhelmed. Have a compassionate attitude towards But don’t use them as an excuse. Identify which you can work on and resolve and work own your fears and weaknesses towards maximising your strengths. Learn to deal with multiple tasks Learn to delegate or get someone to help you plan your workload. Remember be SMARTER! Recognise the need to recharge your batteries Acknowledge your limitations and work around them. For example identify which time of the day do you work best and build this into your daily planning. Assess your level of Control (based on your MTQ48 score). Record here what you will do to develop yourself in this area (use your report, the above suggestions, speak with peers, etc). 38

2 COMMITMENT Don’t give up too early Give yourself time out to refocus after setbacks but don’t let them stop you from achieving your goal. Asking others for help or coaching might help. Think optimistically Believe you can achieve. Have others achieved with the same or similar tasks? Visualise success – imagine its impact on you and on others. Develop a clear plan for each task Take time out to work out what is required in some detail - use mind mapping or brainstorming techniques. Use others to help you. Identify what motivates you Incorporate this into your planning of a task – either as a reward or as an integral part of the task. What does a win look like for you?…. And for others? Break the task down into manageable chunks Group similar tasks together and set yourself short term, long term, immediate and daily goals as a way of motivating yourself. Use the 1-2-4 technique. Take time out to analyse how you will achieve the task For goals to be effective they must be SMART. Do a force field analysis - identify what might get in the way and what you can do to ensure it doesn’t. Assess your level of Commitment (based on your MTQ48 score). Record here what you will do to develop yourself in this area (use your report, the above suggestions, speak with peers, etc). 39

3 CHALLENGE See challenge as an opportunity rather than a List benefits of the new challenge, e.g. opportunity to learn new skills. threat Accept that change is a feature of life If you can’t beat them, join them! Variety is the spice of life! Think optimistically Focus on the positive. You can do it – many others do! Increase your familiarity with change Change your routine ever y so often and try new things whenever you can, e.g., make a list of all the things you’ve ever wanted to try – and do them! Break down work into more manageable chunks Group similar tasks together. Get someone to help you with this if need be. Develop a structured approach to your work Plan your day and consider using time management tools and techniques to help you with this, such as labelling and prioritising your tasks. Learn new ways of relaxing Find out what works for you and use it, e.g. yoga, sport, PMR, painting, etc. Assess your level of Challenge (based on your MTQ48 score). Record here what you will do to develop yourself in this area (use your report, the above suggestions, speak with peers, etc). 40

4 CONFIDENCE Consciously seek to build up your feelings of self-worth List 5 positives about yourself and praise yourself when you achieve. Get other people to tell you what your strengths are. Finish each day reflecting on achievements. Learn to ask questions It will give you a better understanding of what is going on, & increase your involvement in the task. Asking questions is a highly effective way of entering a discussion. Try to offer suggestions and ideas Set a target, e.g. one idea per week. Think of things that haven’t gone to plan but could have been avoided. Consider assertiveness or confidence training This can help you increase your confidence in social situations, learn how to present your ideas more successfully, and learn how to say ‘no’. Monitor your self-talk Be aware how you have negative thoughts or make negative comments about yourself and stop it! Replace each negative thought with an affirmation Don’t dwell on mistakes Avoid over generalising – one mistake does not mean that everything is wrong. Reflect that everyone makes mistakes – the trick is to learn from them. Keep things in perspective Success is not final and failure is not fatal. As Boris Becker once said when asked how he felt when losing a match, “Get it into perspective … no-one died”. Assess your level of Confidence (based on your MTQ48 score). Record here what you will do to develop yourself in this area (use your report, the above suggestions, speak with peers, etc). 41

Finally, a Quick Look at… STEP 9 Exams, Study and Exams! Coursework What’s happening… Tools Check the dates and times of your exams very carefully. Goal Setting Sleep and eat well before an exam. Prepare any equipment you need beforehand - do not leave it until the last minute. Goal Setting Don’t panic. It’s natural to feel some exam nerves prior to starting the exam, but getting excessively nervous is. counterproductive as you will not be able to think as clearly Anxiety Control If your mind goes blank, don’t worry! Panicking will just make it harder to recall information. Instead, focus on slow, Anxiety Control deep breathing for about one minute. If you still can’t remember, move on and return to this question later. The quickest and most effective way of eliminating feelings of stress and panic is to close your eyes and take several long, Positive Thinking slow deep breaths. Breathing in this way calms your whole nervous system. Simultaneously you could give yourself some mental pep-talk by mentally repeating “I am calm and relaxed” or “I know I will do fine”. Try to stay calm during the exam. Empty your mind – try to think of the question – not what others might think. Attentional Control Once the exam is over, try to put it out of your mind and concentrate on the next one. Don’t spend endless time criticising yourself for where you think you went wrong. Often our own self-assessment is far too harsh. Congratulate yourself for the things you did right, learn from the bits where you know you could have done better, and then move on. Try to learn from your mistakes. Work out what you could have done better and aim to change things next time. Positive Thinking Believe in yourself. You wouldn’t be on the course in the first place if you didn’t have the ability to do it. Positive Thinking If you prepare for the exams properly you should do fine, meaning that there is no need to worry excessively. Remember how you imagined yourself doing well before the exam. Visualisation 42

Finally, a Quick Look at… Revision & Study! What’s happening… Tools Give yourself plenty of time to revise. Goal Setting Make a revision plan and keep to it. Study for a set time each week. Build in time to relax and do things you enjoy. Goal Setting Revise using memory aids that fit your learning style - graphics, flowcharts, highlighted text, summary notes, cartoons, Attentional Control sound recordings, key points cards. You could revise with your friends too. Find a “study buddy” or two. Support each other! Anxiety Control Go to revision classes and clubs. Goal Setting Set a realistic schedule for study. Make it productive. Plan in breaks. Goal Setting Set manageable, bite size targets. List them and tick off as you complete them. This demonstrates your progress, Goal Setting creates a sense of direction and will boost your morale. Be time smart; undertake other things you need to do at times when you are less alert or focused. Goal Setting If you find yourself struggling with a problem, take a break or switch to some other work. Attentional Control Experiment with other revision techniques so that revision is more fun and your motivation to study is high. Attentional Control Don’t keep things bottled up. Confiding in someone you trust and who will be supportive is a great way of alleviating stress and worry. Anxiety Control If you find you don’t understand some of your course material, getting stressed out won’t help. Instead, take action Positive Thinking to address the problem directly by seeing your course tutor or getting help from your class mates. 43

Finally, a Quick Look at… Coursework! What’s happening… Tools If possible, choose a task or topic that interests you so that you stay motivated. Attentional Control Have it in your mind that you can do a great job! Positive Thinking Check that you really know what is expected of you. If you don’t understand, ask for help! And do it quickly. Note important times and dates, including deadlines for handing in work. Don’t leave it to the last minute. Goal Setting Organise your work and keep it organised so that it is easy for you to use. Goal Setting Don’t copy straight from the internet, books or other people - the examiners want to know what you know. (It’s also illegal to copy stuff and you could be barred from getting a grade for the course!) Make sure you plan your work carefully and present it well. Goal Setting Double check your spelling and grammar before handing in written work. Attentional Control Check that there are no important details missing - like your name! Attentional Control Give yourself a good chance of success by doing the work in a quiet place which is free from interruptions. Attentional Control Allow breaks but tr y to work in 30 minute bursts. Train yourself to concentrate. Tell others that you have an important piece of work to complete and ask them to give you time and space. Attentional Control Use techniques like mind-maps or spider diagrams to hold subject headings in one place. Tick stuff off as you do it. Attentional Control Look at the grade you got for the last piece. Try to equal or better it with the next assignment. Positive Thinking 44

Finally, a Quick Look at… The Other Bits of Your Life! What’s happening… Tools Don’t try to be perfect. It’s great to succeed and reach for the stars. But keep things in balance. If you think that “anything less than A+ means you’ve failed” then you are creating mountains of unnecessary stress for yourself. Aim to do your best but recognise that none of us can be perfect all of the time. Seek to balance study and coursework with other activities like sport, exercise, social and family activities. You might have to do less of some of the things you like but you don’t have to cut them out entirely. Do your best to stay fit. Vigorous exercise can burn off tension and counterbalance passive studying and relaxation. A brisk walk, short run, swimming or anything else that will raise the heart rate for about 20 - 40 minutes at a time is ideal. 30 – 60 minutes a day will establish a regular, positive habit forming, regime. Use a pedometer. Try to walk 10,000 steps ever y day. Monitor and record what you achieve and reward yourself when things go well. Look after your diet. Burgers, chips, steak and other comfort foods may be very nice to eat, but they are not good for you all the time. They will sap your energy when you need it the most. A balanced diet with fruit and vegetables, lots of water, will help build up your energy and well-being in readiness for exams. Agree with your friends that study and reasonable exam performance is important to you (and to them). Try to associate with others who have the same motivation. It’s hard but if others are les motivated, don’t let then influence you. You are in charge of you! Visualise what it will like to get a good set of results. How will you feel? How will your family feel? How will your friends feel? Think of what reward you will give yourself - may be even agree a celebration with others. Try out some yoga, tai chi or relaxation techniques. They will help to keep you feeling calm and balanced, improve your concentration levels and help you to sleep better. 45

Individual reflection STEP 10 Individual Reflection These pages are for you to note any thoughts or feelings you have during the development programme. When it comes to completing your Individual Action Plan at the end of the workshop it is important to reflect on what you learn at different times in the programme. Then when you are ready you can begin to create an Action Plan. 46

FURTHER Further Reading READING Relaxation techniques and managing Stress Optimising Performance • Instant Stretches for Stress Relief: Instant Energy and Relaxation • Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self by Glickman, John Wiley & with Easy to Follow Yoga Stretching Techniques by Mark Evans, Sons Inc, 2002. Sebastian Kelly, 2002. • The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the • The Fine Arts of Relaxation, Concentration and Meditation: Ancient Skills Problems of Everyday Living by Norman Vincent Peale, Running Press for Modern Minds by Joel Levey and Michelle Levey, Wisdom Books, 2003. Book Publishers, 2002. • T’ai Chi, Yoga & Meditation by Michele MacDonnell, et al, Anness • Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want, Faster Than You Ever Thought Publishing Ltd, 2003. Possible by Brian Tracy, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc, 2003. • The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook by Martha Davis et al, • Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More New Harbinger Publications, 2000. Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc, 2002. • The Big Book of Stress-relief Games: Quick, Fun Activities for Feeling • Developing Mental Toughness; Improving performance, wellbeing and Better at Work by Robert Epstein, McGraw-Hill Education. positive behaviour in others by Peter Clough & Doug Strycharczyk, Kogan Page, 2012. • Learned Optimism: How to change your mind and your life, Vintage Books USA, 2006. • Developing Mental Toughness in Young People for the 21st Century by Peter Clough & Doug Strycharczyk, Karnac books, 2013. • Bounce: The myth of Talent and power of practice by Matthew Syed, Fourth Estate, 2011. • How children Succeed, Grit, curiosity and hidden power of character by Paul Tough, Random House Books, 2013. • Mindset; the New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Ballantine Books, 2007. 47

Appendices APPENDICES Mindfulness What is it? Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Mindfulness involves paying attention deliberately. In mindfulness we’re concerned with noticing what’s going on right now. Exercise - Thoughtful mindfulness That doesn’t mean we can no longer think about the past or future, but Try working through the following exercise… when we do, we do it mindfully, so that we’re aware that right now we’re 1. Start this activity being aware of your breath. thinking about the past or future. 2. Allow yourself to notice any thoughts that come into your head as Mindfulness is not an emotional state. We don’t judge that this experience you are aware of your breathing. Pay attention to and accept these is good and that one is bad. Or if we do make those judgements we simply thoughts, without judgment. Thoughts are not bad or good, positive notice them and let go of them. We don’t get upset because we’re or negative, they just are what they are - the thought that you experiencing something we don’t want to be experiencing or because we’re happen to be having at this particular moment. It could be anything. not experiencing what we would rather be experiencing. We simply accept You may become aware that you are having difficulty thinking about whatever happens. We notice it arising, passing us, and then go. your thoughts - so think about that. You may be thinking: “I can’t do this very well.” Well, that’s a thought too. Allow yourself to think about Whether it’s a pleasant experience or a painful experience we treat it the that. same way. Some people like the image of allowing the thoughts to just float like leaves on a stream, or clouds in a sky, noticing each thought as it passes and then the one that comes after it, and then the one that comes after that. A Buddhist idea is to think of thoughts as pages written on water. You may notice that just at the moment you become aware of a thought, it passes and is replaced by another thought. That’s what happens - thoughts come, and they go. 3. Finally, bring yourself back to being aware of your breath. 48